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USA Racquetball (USAR) is the National
Governing Body for the sport of
racquetball, recognized by the U.S.
Olympic Committee and is committed to
excellence and service to our members.
We provide opportunities for members
and enthusiasts to actively participate in
the sport, through sanctioning of events,
administration of programs and
development of competitive teams.

SPORT GRAPHICS

Objectives:
• MEMBERSHIP SUPPORT- USAR values its
members and will strive to provide the best
possible member services at all levels.
• MEMBERSHIP RECRUITMENT- USAR believes
that racquetball is a lifetime endeavor and
the benefits of health, recreation, and
competition should be available to everyone.
USAR will strive to expand its membership
in order to share these benefits with as many
players and supporters as possible.
• PROMOTION OF THE SPORT- in order to sustain
a strong player base USAR will promote
the numerous benefits of participation
through mass marketing efforts.
• COMPETITIVE SUCCESS- USAR strives to
maintain America's position as the number
one racquetball nation in the world. Success
at the elite levels has a positive influence on
every other facet of our sport.
• SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS- USAR values its
relationship with sponsors and will continue
to maximize benefits and exposure.

All the information you
need to participate in
the most prestigous
event of the year.

Strandemo's Rules Poster

Doubles Entry

Get ready for national doubles
by learning the secrets of proper
positioning.

National doubles will return to
beautiful Phoenix and Arizona
State University.

Players Helping Players ......... 5
Get With the Program ......... 33
The Inside Scoop ............. 48

Moving
Racquetball
in the Right
Direction
My last article dealt
with juniors and the
numerous problems
involved with getting
these young people
involved in racquetball.
How do we make
racquetball "cool" so it can compete with more
popular scholastic sports, i-pods, computers, and
of course television?
Media support is necessary to bring racquetball to
the forefront. We're all trying to get the media to
pay more attention to racquetball. The results of
our efforts have been less than optimal - why?

It certainly isn't because our top athletes aren't
charismatic or athletic. Can you think of any
professional athlete more charismatic than Sudsy
Monchik?

USAR Executive Director

promoted and out-sold by numerous other sports.
Why? Because other sports have deeper pockets.
Why? Because sponsors have accepted these
sports as a viable method of selling their products
to selected demographics. Why? Well, one of the
major reasons is that these "successful" sports
have developed their own television niche, thus
providing a wide distribution of their message.
Toward that end, racquetball is moving in the
right direction - we've developed an exhibition
court designed for television and larger spectator
viewing. But even with the new court, it's still
difficult to follow the ball on television and it's
tough for the inexperienced viewer to follow
the action. Shawn Royster is continually
experimenting with higher quality camera
angles and we need to experiment with
different colored walls and balls.
Will we ever be able to present racquetball on
television in a manner in which everyone will
be able to follow the action? Maybe ... maybe
not ... but we must continue to strive for improved
viewability because it's an avenue to greater
acceptance and prominence for racquetball.

His name alone begged attention! Can you think of Next Issue - Exploring Solutions
any female athlete more appealing or athletic than
Christie Van Hees? Then why has neither of these
players (and many more) never been noticed by the
national media or national advertisers?
The answer is simple but the analysis begs a series
of "why's." The answer is that the media focuses
on other sports. Why? Because racquetball is out-

I

>>
I Keep Winning With
My Membership
Have you ever read the back of your
newly-redesigned USA Racquetball card?
If not, you should! Two weeks ago, I
stopped at a Choice Hotels brand to stay
the night. While checking in, they gave me
a rate and I gave them my USAR card; I
received an immediate $15.00 discount. A
week before that while in California at the
Masters tournament, I rented a car from
Hertz and showed them my card at the
check-in desk. They gave me a 10%
discount which amounted to a $35.00
savings. In two weeks' time I saved a total
of $50.00 by simply waving my racquetball
membership card at the check-in desk.
Not bad since the membership only cost
$30.00 per year ... Actually, I end up
saving several hundred dollars a year just
for being a member of USA Racquetball.
Choice Hotels is our title sponsor of the
US Open in Memphis and they offer all
USAR members discounts at their hotels.
Do take advantage of these discounts
whenever you can - it's a great way
to save money!
We've worked very hard the past year
trying to make good on some promises
made to our members. We have finally
accomplished these and I would like to
give you an update.
First of all, we have our new ranking
system up and working. This new system
is based on winning matches and whom
you beat, which is by far the correct way
to do a ranking system.
Next is our new computer-driven R2
Tournament Management System.
This allows your local tournament director
to schedule and run a complete tournament
by computer. There are many program
functions that not only allow the TD to

BY RANDY STAFFORD, PRESIDENT, USAR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

run the tournament more smoothly, but
also enable the players to see continual
updates on times and matches as well as to
view the entire tournament online from
start to finish, enhancing the overall
experience.
You can now join online and update your
membership file, which contains both
personat" and tournament information.
This new system helps you as a member
to stay up to-date with your membership.
Also, it enables a tournament director
to check memberships so we can be
sure everyone playing in a sanctioned
tournament is a member, which is an
insurance requirement.
Hope you like our new magazine look!
This past year we have continually made
efforts to upgrade our bi-monthly magazine
and the information we provide. The
posters have been a big hit; we'll include
these occasionally on a variety of topics.
The posters help explain certain aspects of
racquetball and, once posted on a club wall,
can be used by all players. We have
already received many favorable comments
on the poster explaining avoidable hinders,
which many did not fully understand.
Our latest improve~ent will be the addition
of an online bi-monthly newsletter. With
this new web-based communication, we
will be able to keep all racquetball players
involved with interesting information on a
continual basis. We will make this a free
electronic membership so we can offer
specials from our sponsors and stay in
touch with everyone about events and
changes in racquetball. It will be a
wonderfully easy way to develop a large
database of players so we can all be
connected and exchange information about
racquetball. Please consult our web page,
www.USAracquetball.com for the exact
launch date of our new e-newsletter.

A new level of membership called a
"recreation member" is being created.
This new level, to be offered beginning
August 1, will enable a player to enter a
local club tournament in their area for
only $15.00. This will allow participation
in one tournament for a lower fee and
hopefully enjoy it so much that they
will join as a full member and become
involved. We have had many calls wanting
this lower introductory fee to get players
involved in tournaments and hopefully this
will be just what is needed. This lower fee
gives the player a way to enter one local
club tournament more economically, giving
them one magazine plus insurance for that
particular tournament. Please tell your
friends who have always wanted to try
playing in a tournament that they can
now get involved at a lower price!
With these new enhancements within our
organization, there also comes a cost.
It has been 4 years since our last dues
increase. As of August 1 of this year, our
dues will increase to $35.00 for a one-year
membership. This increase has not come
without an incredible amount of debate
and study. We wish we could operate
our association at the same price, but it's
simply no longer possible. Please join with
me and understand that a dues increase,
no matter how small, is never popular but
certainly necessary to continue to operate
our association at the level we all expect.
If you wish, you can extend your
membership at the current price of
$30.00 and avoid the increase for a time.
Please see page 7 for details.
I hope you agree we are taking big steps
in the right direction. Thanks for being a
member and for supporting racquetball.
We are all winning as USA Racquetball
members!

IRT Red Swain Memorial
Foxwoods Resort and Casino renewed its long-tem1
sponsorship of this event. Tournament director Lorraine
Feeney was excited about this year's full ranking $ 15,000
event, bringing the top men 's professionals in the world back
to the Boston area again. Foxwoods' continued support goes
hand-in-hand with their sponsorship of tour veteran and sixtime lRT number one, Cliff Swain. lt has been a contributor
in memory of Cliff's father Red who lost his battle with ALS

byDaveNegrete

letting the hometown crowd influence the match. Jack
claimeo the third 11-7. Just when you thought the match was
over with Huczek serving at 10-8, Swain dug down deep and
found a way to come back and take the fourth 12-10 in
dramatic fashion, sending the crowd into frenzy. The fourth ,
however, would end Swain's run as Huczek played flawlessly,
winning Il-l. The win moved Huczek to his fifth final this
season to meet up with his nemesis Kane Waselenchuk at
high noon on Sunday.

Thcz Final

Mike Holder and Cliff Swain
a few years ago. The event, held at the Boston Athletic Club
in Boston from March 30 -April 2, raised money for the
Angel Fund, a charity dedicated to ALS research.
The Red Swain Memorial got off to a good start as the first
round of qualifying began with Aaron Granberg defeating
Richie Sledzik, Jr. , 12, 2, 0; Kyle Veenstra besting Joey
Logan 2, 6, l; Japan 's Hiroshi Shimizu over Mike Keddie 9,
3, 4; and Bryan Crosser advancing to his first Round of
Sixteen appearance.
The Pro Am sponsor doubles was a huge success as Cliff and
event director Lorraine Feeney brought out a huge spread for
the players and sponsors. A large crowd was there to watch
the action. Jack Huczek and George Soloman took the title
from Kane Waselenchuk and Dan O'Halloran in the final!

Semifinals
Kane Waselenchuk vs. Alvaro Beltran
Once again a packed house was on hand for the first of the
two feature matches of Saturday night. Game one saw
Beltran using crosscourt passes very effectively and re-killing
set-ups by Kane in the front court to take game one 11-9.
Game two had Kane using a lob serve to the backhand to
score most of his points; he came out on top in this game
11-8. Game three was a battle as both players fought back
and forth , shot for shot. Kane emerged victorious in this
game 11-8. Game four saw both players delivering great
serves, but Kane's return of serve was too much as he took
the fourth-and-match 11-9 to move on to his fourth straight
final.
Jack Huczek vs. Cliff Swain
This was the match the Boston crowd was wa iting for!
The first game had Cliff hitting a few great drives but never
putting together a streak of points while Jack hit the routine
shots to take the first 11-7. Game two was all Swain 11-2 his serve caught fire and set the crowd on fire , too. The third
would be similar to game one with Jack staying cool and not

Jack Huczek vs. Kane Waselenchuk
The battle for # I would be the underlying force for this
match today as Kane Waselenchuk aspired to regain the
number one spot he held coming into the season with Jack
Huczek looking to maintain the honor. As both players
entered the main court, you could feel the excitement. Jack
got down early in the first as Kane dominated the center
court. Jack kept his patience as he had done all weekend
and mounted a comeback at 7-10 to take the first game
12-l 0. Kane shook it off and came back the second to a
commanding 8-2 lead only to see it slip away as well, 11-9.
Waselenchuk took an injury time out between games and
came back into battle. Jack, however, silenced his critics and
kept the pressure on Kane to claim the game and match 11-5.
This win gives Huczek his fourth title this season (Toronto,
New York, Riverside preceded). Huczek also put a final
under his belt in Colorado Springs. Waselenchuk's loss
gave him two finals (here and Toronto) and three tour
wins (Colorado Springs, San Diego and the US Open).
The race for # I will be dramatic again as Virginia becomes a
very important event and the Motorola Pro Nationals could
very well decide the year end # I ranking. Stay tuned for an
exciting end to the IRT season!

Sidcz tlotczs:
Big thanks to Mike Holder and Foxwoods Casino and
Resort for their continued support of the event and
confirmation that the lRT will be back in Boston again
next year!
Also, special thanks to Ernie and Dan for all your years
of lending your support to this event.
Lorraine Feeney and her staff were on the ball all
weekend keeping the matches on time and hosting one
of the most well-organized events of the season. Thanks,
Lorraine, for all you do for the racquetball scene in
Boston.
Thanks to young World Champion Courtney Chisholm
for helping out as a towel girl for the pro matches.
Much gratitude to Cliff Swain who will go down in
racquetball history among the greatest to ever play the
game. The Tour and its players appreciate your devotion
to bringing the tour back to your hometown every year
and to keeping the memory of your father in everyone's
hearts and minds.

Lynmar Classic
Racquetall
Championships

by Dave Negrete

Lynmar Racquet and Health Club, home of the USA Racquetball
National Training Center, was ready to go this March as twentyseven players battled for a spot in the main draw. Eddie Meredith
and his lovely wife Mary put together a stellar event and the
Colorado Springs racquetball community enjoyed a great
tournament.

and returned serve at the highest levels of performance, bringing
the house down numerous times. Jack actually served at 8
seventeen times before scoring his ninth point. Coming out and
hitting two great down the lines from both sides, Huczel claimed
victory 7, 7, (6), (9), 9 and reached his fourth final of the season,
preparing to meet his nemesis Waselenchuk on Sunday.

The Finals

There was a great contingent of young players from the University
Of Colorado at Pueblo, the University of New Mexico, Northern
Iowa University and Canada. The draw also featured Woody
Clouse and former top eight IRT professional Gerry Price. Charlie
Pratt was outlasted Gerry Price in five close games in round one
and then saw a two- game lead go to waste, losing to Alejandro
Herrera in five. Aaron Granberg lost a five- game battle to Gil
De Los Rios and Andy Hawthorne survived a scare from a great
young Canadian player, James Landeryou, in five games. U.S.
team members Willie Tilton and Woody Clouse faced off with
Clouse coming out on top in three. All other seeds ad~anced
without much fanfare as Chris Crowther, Ben Croft, Mitch
Williams and Josh Tucker all won the right to play on Friday.
Jason Mannino and Ray Carnell defeated Jack Huczek and Gene
Contreras, winning the Pro-Am doubles. A great time was had by
all, especially when Kwi Spinks drew Rocky Carson as her
partner. Kwi had the hometown crowd rocking!
Rocky, by the way, welcomed his new son into the world a week
earlier as his wife Jen gave birth to Christian Luke Carson the
prior Friday. We wish all the best to the Carson family!

The Semifinals
The first match on Saturday pitted #6 Cliff Swain against #2
Kane Waselenchuk. Kane took control of the match from the
start, playing very relaxed and in control. Cliff played tough but
couldn't find the serve to get on any run. Kane led 9-5 in the third
when Cliff's serve all of a sudden caught fire; he came back and
evened up the match at I 0-10. But Kane dug down and took the
match 7, 7, 11 to schedule his fourth final appearance of the
season.
The second match had a bit more drama. Jack Huczek controlled
the first two games against Alvaro Beltran and was in control in
the third when Beltran's nose began bleeding. Alvaro took his full
15 minutes of injury time. He came back down 4-6 and found
something extra to win the game 11-6. In the next game, the
score was close at 9-8, Huczek serving. Beltran disagreed with a
call from referee Jason Thoerner who took control and gave out
two technicals to make the score 9-6 Huczek. Once again, Beltran
found a way to regroup and came back from the deficit to win the
fourth 11-9. This set the stage for game five. The fifth game
turned out to be a bona fide racquetball battle as both players dove

Kane Wase1enchuk showed up for the final match intent on
tightening the race for # 1; Jack Huczek, on the other hand, come
to stretch out the lead. Both players had a lot at stake as they
•J
battled for the year-end # 1 ranking. Jack came out strong in the · '·
first game and squeezed out the game 11-9, to the surprise of the
Wase1enchuk camp. Kane came back in the next two games and
appeared in control of the match but Huczek answered everything
Kane hit at him in the fourth to force a game five . Kane jumped
out to an early lead only to have Jack fight back and even it up at
6-6. Kane got the big serve going and a few unforced errors by
Huczek in the end allowed Waselenchuk the opening he needed;
he went on to win the Lynmar Classic (9), 5, 8, (3), 6. This was
Kane's second win in a row as he turned up the heat in the race
for # I!

Side notes
Great job by Eddie Meredith on hosting his first full ranking
event! Eddie has run this event as a satellite in years past and
he's a great asset to the sport of racquetball.
Hats off to Mary Meredith and Diane Feldstein who held
down the tournament all weekend and kept everything on
time. Also, thanks to Chuck Meredith for all the support
behind the scenes.
It was great to see former top five 1RT professional Gerry
Price playing again and hitting very well - he's a class act
and a pleasure to have back at the Stops. The Lynmar
Racquet and Health Club is a great venue for a pro event.
The fans are knowledgeable and they embrace the 1RT with
open anns.
The twin glassed-backed courts with great seating create a
great environment.
Thank you to Ed Arias of ProRacquetball.net for filming the
event - look for the new and exciting pay-per-view site
coming soon from Ed and the 1RT.
Much gratitude to all the sponsors of the event and we look
forward to coming back next season'

The 2006 San Diego Open

byDaveNegrete

Dcly On4r: W4rclnesday. Fvbruary 13. 2006
The top fifty IRT professionals converged upon the American
Athletic Club for the 2006 San Diego Open. Event Director Brent
Avery was elated that 300 amateur players came out to support this
prestigious event as well. Players from all over the globe traveled to
San Diego to get their racquetball fix. The hospitality is non-stop
here in National City -- all participants were treated to an endless
supply of food and drink throughout the weekend. This year also
featured some added excitement with the IRT professionals wired
for sound so the fans could hear every bit of the action on the court.
# I player in the world Jack Huczek was there to continue his
winning ways, but #2 Kane Waselenchuk also made it to this event
to try and stop him. Local favorites #4 Alvaro Beltran and #5 Jason
Mannino intended
to showcase their
talents in an

r-"""'------r---....:E!.,__

effort to take the
title. Last year's
champion, #3
Cliff Swain came
back to defend
his title as did last
year's runner up
Shane Vanderson.
Rounding out the
top eight, Jason
Best Tournament Chef
Thoerner has
been showing signs all season that he has what it takes to compete
on the IRT. The amateur draw kicked off with matches beginning at
lOam.

Dcly Two: Thursday. F4rbruary 14.1006
Wow !!! Eleven hours of top notch racquetball, witnessed by
capacity crowds all day. First round qualifying matches started at
I :00 pm and the last match finished at 12: 15 am. There were some
great matches in each round with some players competing in three
matches to get into the main draw. Local star and American Athletic
Club member Mike Orr was able to fight through a tough draw and
make it into the main draw for the first time in his racquetball
career. Aaron Granberg of Minneapolis won a tough five- game
battle against Ruben Gonzalez. Ruben overturned three calls in his
favor in the tiebreaker demonstrating why he is the consummate
professional. Mitch Williams fought off nemesis Javier Moreno in a
five-game battle to advance to the main draw. Calgary native Brian
Istace came back from two games down to defeat Agustin Tristan in
five games. Polo Gutierrez defeated Ben Croft to continue his rise
on the IRT fo llowing his quarterfinal finish at this year's Choice
Hotels US OPEN.

Dcly Thrn: Friday. F4rbruary 15. 2006
There were some great match-ups in Friday's Round of Sixteen
with only one real upset: # II Josh Tucker defeating #7 Shane
Vanderson. These two have fought numerous battles in the past and
this one was no exception! Josh ultimately came out on top in five
games to make his first quarterfinal appearance in over a year and
would go on to meet Cliff Swain in the third match of the evening.
Cliff easily disposed of Polo Gutierrez in three straight games.
Rocky Carson had his hands full with Mitch Williams, winning in
three tough games. Mitch continues to improve with each event.
Local hero Alvaro Beltran took out Mike Orr in four games -- this
was Orr's first time qualifying into the show. Jack Huczek wasted
little time defeating Aaron Granberg in three, as did Jason Mannino
with Andy Hawthorne. The Huczek vs. Mannino match lined up as
the second quarter of the evening. Kane Waselenchuk made his first
appearance in over two months on the IRT and played an
entertaining match against his countryman Brian Istace.
Kane looked fit and was too much for Jstace, claiming the
match in three games. In the last 16's match, Jason Thoerner
prevailed over a tough Chris Crowther, winning in three straight to
meet up with Waselenchuk in the first quarter of the evening.

The first quarterfinal match featured #2 Kane Waselenchuk against
#9 Jason Thoerner. Kane picked up where he left off at the US
Open and played some great ball. Thoerner could not muster a
run of any kind as Kane won the first two games convincingly.
Thoerner finally got into a groove and was able to tmish game
three with a win, but it was all Waselenchuk in the fourth with the
match concluding 6, 3, (7), 2. Kane would meet the winner of
the Swain/Tucker match in Saturday's 4pm semi-final.

The second quarter of the evening pitted the # 1 player in the world
Jack Huczek against #5 Jason Mannino. Jack came out on top in
their previous meeting this season, but there is something about San
Diego that's just not in Huczek's favor. Jason played some great
ball in this match, mixing up his pinches with down-the-lines and
keeping Jack off balance. In the end, it would be Mannino on top in
this one (6), 3, 8, 8 as he earned his way up to meet the winner of
the Carson/Beltran match in Saturday's 6pm semi-final.
The third quarter of the evening showcased raw power as #3 Cliff
Swain battled #11 Josh Tucker. Lob serves were an extreme rarity
in this match as both players lit up the court with drive serves that
left most of the fans shaking their heads in awe. Josh would take the
first game with a few aces but mainly return of serve. Swain made
an adjustment in his serve and kept Tucker off balance and guessing
for the rest of the match, winning in four games (9), 7, I, 7. Swain
advanced to meet fellow southpaw Waselenchuk in the Saturday
4pm semifinal.
Local
hero #4
Alvaro
Beltran
and
southern
California
standout
#6 Rocky
Carson
executed
the last
match of
the
Rocky, Brent Avery and Kane
evening.
Beltran's home club fans showed their appreciation for their favorite
player with a loud ovation to kick off the match. Carson effectively
quieted them, grabbing the first game. At 9-9 in the second,
Beltran dove for a ball and landed on his left shoulder, popping it
out of the socket. Local EMTs at the club set it back in place
enabling Alvaro to continue and take the next game in overtime.
Rocky spoiled the home club hero 's quest for the title and claimed
the next two and the match 7, (II), 3, 7. Rocky moved on to meet
Mannino in the 6pm semifinal on Saturday evening.

Dcly Four: Saturday. F4rbruary 15. 2006
The day started off with the IRT players signing autographs and
taking pictures with over fifty juniors at the AAC. Leslie Pawka
does a tremendous job with the San Diego junior program. What a
thrill it was for both the juniors and the pros as the guys made the
kids ' weekend!
The semifinals started off strong -- #2 Kane Waselenchuk vs. #3
Cliff Swain. "Who can hit it harder" seemed to be the theme as
both players drove bullet serves to score points and keep each other
out of position. Kane showed no signs of rust after missing the last
two events. It was Waselenchuk in three straight games in this one I 0, 6, 6 - to advance to the finals on Sunday against the
Mannino/Carson winner.
continued on page 10

continued from page 9

The second match-up was all the fans could ask for as Jason
Mannino and Rocky Carson put on a show. Mannino later described
the first two games as, "That was the battle of who could play the
worst ball!" and Rocky agreed; each player won a game. They
brought the playing level up a notch the rest of the match as each
competitor traded amazing gets and pinpoint shots. Rocky would get
the big point in game five to Mannino's dismay and win the match 9,
(2), (7), 3, 9. Rocky grabbed his first final of the year and geared up
to meet Waselenchuk in the Sunday noon final.

Day Fiw: Sunday, February 26. 2006
With the mariachis gone but the carne asada still cooking on the
grill, a packed house came out to watch the battle between #2
Waselenchuk and #6 Carson. Which Rocky would show up today,
the Rocky of old where Kane had his way with him or the Rocky
who nearly pulled of the upset of the IRT season at the US Open
when he last met Kane there in the semifinals? Would competing in
the final sponsor-less, sporting Nike Jumpman clothing with One
Shot shorts and an unfamiliar racquet in his hand make it tough for
Kane to win his first IRT title after sitting out the last two events?
Well, Rocky did show up in full force with the backing of his family
on the glass, but the unfamiliar racquet in Kane's hands had no
bearing on his ability to play racquetball. With past IRT great Charlie
Brumfeld in the crowd to compare notes on how the game used to be
played vs. how it is played now, both players put on a show. Kane
would come out in game one in control mixing up some blistering
shots with off-speed touch shots, giving him the first game. Rocky
took full advantage ofWaselenchuk's miscues in the next two games
and take a commanding two-games-to-one lead. Even in unfamiliar
territory and down 2-1 , Kane regrouped and found a way to come
from behind to win his first San Diego Open title 6, (5), (7), 6, 4.

2006 Virginia Open,
Presented by
Pro Rep, Inc.
byDaveNegrete

A 25-year tradition began when the U.S. Joint Armed Forces
founded this tournament as a military-only event. Over the years,
it has opened up to the public; this year is its second year as a
full-ranking IRT stop. Tournament sponsors and directors Ellis
Gillespie and Corinne Mastronardi had a vision three years ago
to bring the best to the Chesapeake area and they have indeed
achieved that vision. With limos waiting for the players at the
airport to an all-star party at their home, this event was one to
remember. Ellis's wife Corinne Mastronardi and her business,
Pro Rep, Inc., created a level of professionalism that made
everyone at the tournament feel part of a true sporting event.
Television crews from the local stations came out on Thursday
from NBC and Fox to interview the players -- this showcased
the Greenbr--ier YMCA in Chesapeake and helped pack the
house all weekend. Tournament coordinator Malia Bailey ran
a tight and smooth ship - she had the event under control
and on time all weekend.
In the Pro-Am doubles finals, Rocky Carson and Phil Black of First
Colony Century 21 defeated Josh Tucker and Lorenzo Brookins of
Freedom Ford. Some tough matches were played in this round robin!

Scrmifinals
Kane Waselenchuk vs. Cliff Swain
Once again these two warriors meet on the stadium court racquetball legend Cliff Swain and Kane Waselenchuk, who is
creating his own place in racquetball history with every match he
plays. Swain came out smoking the first game with his blistering
serve working to both sides of the court. Taking a commanding 7-0
lead was too much for Kane to overcome as Swain grabbed the first
11-4. Waselenchuk regrouped and got his serve going, taking the
second 11-6. The seesaw battle of who could out-serve the other
began in the third with Swain the victor 11-6. The fourth game
went back to Waselenchuk as he mixed up some lob nicks to the
backhand and some stellar drives-- add to that Kane's quick hands
and this one went to him 11-1. Kane's youth came through in the
fifth and he decisively took the game and match 11-3. Kane
advanced to his sixth final of the season. Cliff's sheer desire to win
did not go unnoticed as he was greeted with rousing applause after
the match.
Jack Huczek vs. Alvaro Beltran
This began as a very close match with both players working each
other for the front court. Alvaro could not muster much in the way
of 2. streak and Huczek claimed the first game 11-9. Huczek played

'.~

nip-and-tuck the second game but Beltran finally got a run to finish
out the game 11 -7. The third game was tight at 5-5 until Beltran went
on a run of breaking strings on three racquets; he could never recover
in the third or the fourth games as unforced errors and too many
skips plaqued him throughout. Jack finished the match 11-6, 11-0 to
advance to his sixth final of the year and to put the pressure on for
the year-end # I spot!

Finals
Jack Huczek vs. Kane Waselenchuk
The build-up for a five-game war came to an anticlimactic halt as
Jack fought off Kane in three straight games 2, 4, 9 to help further
his quest for the year-end # I ranking. This added some momentum
going into the Motorola IRT Pro Nationals. Jack demonstrated
patience and poise as he controlled the center court and used a lob
nick to Kane's backhand, winning the first two games convincingly
11 -2, 11-4. Kane roared back in the third and it looked like he would
push it to a fourth as he started talking and showing some emotion
on the court (some directly at Jack), taking a 9-4 lead. Jack called a
time- out, returned to the court and stuck with his game plan
(effecting the same type of comeback as he did in Boston) to take the
game and match 11 -9. This is Jack's fifth IRT title of the season, with
one event remaining!

R
NEW HAMPSHIRE UCQUETBAll ASSOCIATION
STAn PRESIDENT: KElLEY BEANE
Q. What would you say the key is to having a successful organization?
A. I wish I could put my finger on it, but we do not have the key.
Success to me would be retaining all of our members and our
numbers climbing significantly year after year. Unfortunately, this
is not happening and we are maintaining our membership at best.
We continue to strive to make the retention and growth happen,
and we listen to our members and try as many new ideas as
we can.
Q. What is the number one complaint you hear as president?
A. Entry fees are too high. The prices have gone up all around us, and
it's difficult to run an event at old entry fee prices. With increased
costs for court fees, food, shirts, etc we are often faced with
increase when everything is high. But, when we look around,
for what other events offer, our entry fees are reasonable.

Q. What are your most successful programs?
A. It has to be our junior development program. We have over I 00
active junior racquetball players in the state. This summer we will
be taking a good group to Junior Nationals and hope to return with
some bling.
Also, we have started a new travel team between our NH clubs that
has taken off and we expect it to grow significantly with all of the
interest we had since it was launched.
And, the Mitch Nathanson tournament has grown into our biggest
and best event that we host here. It takes a lot of. work, but it raises
money to help juniors in the New England states and is very
rewarding to be a part of it.

Another accomplishment is growing our junior numbers in the
state, having demo nights with all reps every month at all of our
NH clubs, and universities with courts. We also have kept our
court intact at almost all of our clubs in the state.

Q. What makes racquetball in your state spe ial?
A. The people on the board that give back. That's what got me started
years ago in Houston I listened to speech at the evening banquet
and they asked "how many just take from the game, win events
and leave?" Whoever that was challenged the audience to go home
and get women and kids involved. I thought to myself, that's me. I
take and don 't give back, so I started when I got home to try to get
kids involved, we had none.(Thank you to whomever made that
speech) Our board has done the same thing and want to give back.
They are a wonderful group of people that I consider the best of
friends. They volunteer at all of our tournaments and make
personal sacrifice.
"Each one of these people contributes something unique to the
organization, and without all of their insight we would not be
successful."
Members of the Board:
Chris Zalegowski
John Varrill
Mike Normand
Sharon Shapiro
Gary Walsh
Teri and Greg Labrie
Jean Lerch
Ron Bouchard
Dick Lowell
Ron Bye
John Acampora
Kelley is a full time teaching pro at the Executive Health & Sports
Center where she resides in Manchester, NH. She is currently
serving as Head Coach ofthe USA National Junior Team and
began playing racquetball in 1981. In her spare time she rides
her Harley Davidson Fat Boy, collects antiques and works outside.
She has a Rottweiler named Ruby and cat Ms. America.

Q. If you could share some advice to a developing state what would it
be?
A. Don't be afraid to send emails and letters to try to get new
members and attract former members. You have to want them.
Once you get them, take great care of them. In NH when we do a
state tourney we budget to give all the money back to the members
in some form. Sometimes its bags or jackets, but the members are
most important. Another bit of advice is to get as many people on
board as possible to help you. Here we have a great group of board
members that are passionate about the sport.

Membership Strength: 175

Q. What would you consider your state's greatest accomplishment
during your tenure?
A. Our greatest accomplishment is bringing New Hampshire
racquetball back to where it was in the early 80's when I started
playing. Tournaments were fun, lots of food, good prize money.
The people are all like family. If people travel and play other
events, I think they feel like NH events are special, and the people
are nice, too.

Lifetime Members: Kip Jackson and Rich Saffo, Sr.

State Population: 1,235,786
Major Universities:
University of New Hampshire
Keene State College
Plymouth State University
Dartmouth
Mcintosh
Saint Anselm

New Hampshire has been nicknamed the "Granite State" because
of its granite bedrock. The Purple Lilac was adopted as the state
flower in 1919. There are over 50 covered bridges in the state and
serve as a reminder of New Hampshire's distinct history.

us National High School Chamnionshios

Presented bv - Penn â&#x20AC;˘ Event Sponsor- Wilson

Outstanding Individual
performance Kara Mazur and Chris Coy.
Both players dominated their
# 1 division. Still only a
sophomore Chris continued
his dominance of the prior
ranks. Kara once again
qualified for the US Junior
team and both she and Chris
will represent the US at the
Junior Worlds in December.

High School racquetball is flourishing in Oregon. Thanks to a great parents
group, a very supportive club owners and managers, organization and a high
school administration that recognizes racquetball as a legitimate school sport,
the Oregon community hosted one of the most successful high schools
nationals in the events 19th year history.
Over 50 schools and 322 athletes competed in this three day event held at the
beautiful and re-designed Courthouse Athletic club, its sister club Courthouse
South and also Chemeketa Community college. An army of volunteers were
recruited to assist with every facet of the event, providing players, parents and
coaches with a first class event in every aspect.

Outstanding Team
Performance Beaverton High School
- Congratulations to
coach Dave Azuma
and the entire Beaverton
Team for an outstanding
performance.
The margin of victory over 1000 points says
it all!

Outstanding Coach - Dave Azuma - Selected at the USARIUSOC
development coach of the year Dave Azuma from Beaverton High School
has coached High School racquetball for the past 10 years. Dave's ability to
motivate and recruit High School athletes to participate on his team creates a
model for other coaches to emulate.

Outstanding
Upcoming Team Watertown High
School, Utah With a full boy's
team Watertown high
School placed third
in the boy's team
division. Lead by
Boy's # 1 player
Kyle Mcalhany.

Girls Team Champions
1st - Beaverton
2nd - Southridge
3rd- Mercy

Feature - High Schools

Rac:quet:ball R .E!. Â§
.

Blood was streaming everywhere, but he did
not even notice it. Shards of broken glass sunk
deeper, tearing away at his flesh, but he felt
no pain. A crowd formed and people were
yelling, but it all seemed distant. Only one
thing mattered at the moment: preventing the
glass barricade from crushing the bloodstained
person from beneath him.
Senior Chris Meglan was on this way to the
biggest racquetball game of his life. But now,
he was helping save a life instead.
On the weekend of March 4 and 5, the varsity
racquetball team traveled to Salem, Oregon
to compete at Nationals. In a van with two
teammates and Mr. Stephen Bell, senior Kevin
Bell 's father, Meglan and the other players were headed to their first
match of the day. While on their way, through, they got held up.

.

.

1: U E!
.

.. ...

by Pat Morris

-

A nearby car spun out of control. Then, after
what seemed to last only a split-second, it
flew off the road into a ditch. "I pretty mush saw a cloud of dirt rising
when the car hit the earth," Meglan said. Being the first to witness the
accident, Mr. Bell decided they should pull over to help out. They
found the car smoking, with the airbag deployed and all the doors
smashed in.
On the passenger side, an arm was hanging out the windshield.
After searching several minutes for the driver, though, they came to
realize that there was only one person in the car. The arm belonged
to the driver, who had flown across to the passenger's side and was
sandwiched between the dashboard and windshield.
A trained nurse pulled over after witnessing the accident. As others
gathered, she frantically told Meglan he would have to somehow
either break the windshield or hold it up. While trying to climb out,
the driver had become trapped halfway under the windshield.
The next thing new knew, Meglan was holding and peeling glass sheet

Racquetball Re5cue continued from page 14

barehanded, his blood mixing with the driver's. Somehow, though, he did not
let go. "My hands were getting very scraped up and scratched. But at the
time, I didn 't feel it at all," Meglan Said. " I felt like I was pushing back
cardboard ... I guess I had so much adrenaline going that I didn't feel the
pain." When the paramedics finally arrived, they took over. Meanwhile
Meglan still had a match to play.
After explaining his tardiness to the match, Meglan received a bottle of
rubbing alcohol and cloth to go pull out the glass and clean off his bloodcaked hands. Once the realization of what had happened finally sank in, he
began to feel the pain.
Despite it all, Meglan went out and somehow won his first match. He then
rushed to the hospital, waiting several hours to be helped. After not receiving
any, Meglan had to go back for his second match in the afternoon. And he
won again.
In his second attempt to get medical aid, Meglan final got it. The doctors said
their blood mixture was nothing to be concerned about. As a precautionary,

~006

though, he received three shots. Meglan, however, was not finished; he still
had to play one more game.
Meglan had received confirmation from his opponent's coach was demanding
a forfeit. A very heated discussion between the DeSmet and Sprague coaches
went all the way to the National Racquetball Committee, who ruled in
Meglan's favor. After the rescue from the accident, two matches and two
hospital visits, Meglan finally played his originally scheduled 5:30pm match
at II :30 that night. And he lost. At that point, however, it did not mater.
"The loss didn't bother me. I just wanted to play the game and have fun,"
Meglan said.
Despite what other say, Meglan will be the first to tell you that he is not
a hero. In fact, it almost irritates him that he 's,.been the only one in the
spotlight. "Mr. Bell deserves just as much (credit) as me. And at the scene
of the accident, the nurse did pretty much all the work." Instead, Meglan
prefers to describe himself as Lucky. "I think I was just at the right place at
the right time. I know that many other people would have done the same if
they were in the position. I just happened to be the one that was there." And
by being there, a guy on his way to play racquetball made all the difference.

National High Sc::hool Rac::quetball [hampion!!ihip!!i - Salem. Oregon
FINAL TEAM RESULTS
BOYS

Notes:
Schools must have both girls and boys playing
to qualify for the Overall Team Championship
Boy's and Girl's team scores do not include
points from mixed doubles
A total of 327 players from 55 high schools in 19 states
participated in the event

Reflections:
The 2006 Intercollegiate National Championships
I've had involvement with every aspect racquetball has to offer: as a
player, coach, and certainly a fan of every level of play. But in my
twenty-seven years in our great sport, collegiate racquetball has
always held a special place in my heart. After departing the 2006
Intercollegiate National Championships in Tempe, Arizona, my feelings
have never been stronger.
I was privileged enough to attend the annual banquet with these great
student athletes, coaches, parents and teammates. I had the honor of
standing with other Collegiate Council Members as we presented our
forty-eight All-Americans with their certificates, shook their hands and
evidenced the pride in their eyes as they realized what a tremendous
accomplishment they had achieved. Among these athletes were
Adrienne Fisher (Alabama) and Ben Croft (Colorado State-Pueblo),
who had emerged as National Champions at the tourney.
I was able to give Shawn Pike (Utah
Valley State College) the credit he is
due for the outstanding efforts he
has for so long provided to his
players, year in and year out.
I was fortunate enough to be able
to stand amongst a group of
individuals who serve as our
Collegiate Council and see the
Shawn Pike received coaches award admiration from all of the athletes
for the tremendous job they do.
Dennis Fisher (BYU), Tim Miller (Baldwin Wallace), Del Villanueva
(California-Berkeley), Rich Krinsky (Colorado State-Pueblo) and Jeff
Gamer (Univ. of Alabama), along with first-year members Gary
Rasmussen (University of New Mexico), John Bardos (Director of the
Western Collegiate Racquetball Conference) and Shawn Pike (Utah
Valley State), dedicate their time, efforts and focus, for the athletes.
The recognition from the players and other coaches was well deserved
and I'm so lucky to have them with me on the Collegiate Council.
So after the awards, the accolades,
and the well-deserved respect that
everybody in the room showed for
Jim Hiser, Heather Fender and Otto
Dietrich, who worked non-stop all
week to make this event so great, we
got to the part everybody was waiting
for - the team title was up for grabs.
Everyone was well aware that
Ben Croft & Adrienne Fisher
this was, by far, the closest team
competition that college racquetball had ever seen, but no one knew
who was going to leave that room as our Division I National
Champions. We announced Clarkson University and Baldwin Wallace
as the Men's and Women's Division II National Champs, respectively.
We then presented Western New England College (third place),
Clarkson University (second place) and Baldwin Wallace (National
Champs) with their trophies. These are all small schools that have
perennially fantastic programs; coming from a small school myself, my
respect for each of the team leaders and all the work they do is
tremendous . Then came the Division I standings! Colorado State-Pueblo
was once again announced as the Nation's Top Men's Program, with
Alabama, Oregon State and Brigham Young not far behind. On the
Women 's side, it was Oregon State taking
home their first title, with Alabama and
Penn State taking home trophies for
second and third.

Baldwin Wallace Team

In the combined team standings, the
teams were announced in order; we
got down to the third place team and
presented Colorado State-Pueblo
with the trophy for an outstanding
tournament. At that point, I announced

By Shane wood

that only fifteen points, or one match, separated the second place team
and the National Champions. The University of Alabama had been the
national powerhouse the last couple of years and Oregon State had a
shot at the first racquetball National Championship in school history.
If there was ever a time I wished there could be two first place trophies,
it was right then and there. As I
my respect for both of
these unbelievable programs
known, the anticipation grew.
Once I started receiving dirty
looks, jeers and threats from
the two programs, I figured it
was time to announce the
winners before a riot broke
out. I identified Oregon State
University of Alabama
as the National Champs; the
thunderous reaction was in
itself enough to cause goose bumps, but what happened immediately
after I will remember the
rest of my life. Led by the
University ofAlabama, the
entire tournament gave
this Oregon State squad a
standing ovation. You could
see the admiration and
respect every one of the
coaches, parents and athletes
had for these great teammates
from Oregon State.
Oregon State Team
It was quite a week. I had the opportunity to get some thoughts from
the Oregon State athletes about their experience. Not surprisingly, not
a single person talked about his/her own personal achievements; they
all just wanted to recognize their teammates and how great the
friendships are both on and off the courts. That's what college
racquetball is all about.
A few thoughts from the Oregon State players (and a coach!):
"One of the most memorable or exciting things about our team and
this year was how close everyone was, not only on the court, but off
I can 't remember ever being on a team in volleyball, softball, basketball,
or anything that was as close and had so much fun and respect of
everyone. Everyone was so supportive on and off the court the entire
week. Winning was truly a team effort! "- Kay lee Pfennig
"Its great to finish my last year at collegiate nationals on top and with
the best teammates anyone could ask for, both on and off the court." Lee Cramer, Men's #5 singles, # I doubles
"I can 't put into words how amazing this f eeling is. Having teammates
to share this experience with makes it so much more enjoyable. We will
relive the memories made both on and off the court for many years to
come." - Ashley Legget, Women's # I singles, # I doubles
"I have known a lot of these players through High School and Junior
racquetball and it was an amazing experience to play with them as a
team. I think that our history together made it that much more special."
- Jenny Cary, Women 's #4 singles, #2 doubles
"It s sad to see that such a great team has to part (due to graduation),
but we will always be remembered forever as the team who upset
Alabama by only fifteen points I" - David Laforest, Men 's #4 singles,
#3 doubles
"It is a pleasure to be associated with not only the #1 team in the
nation, but also one with such outstanding integrity."- Jamie Sumner,
Coach

21lll6 US lnten:ollegiate National [hampionships
Team Standings
Division 路1
Mens Team Standings
Colorado State Univ.-Pueblo
University of Alabama
Oregon State Univers ity
Brigham Young University
University of New Mexico
University of Colorado Boulder
Texas A&M University
University of Missouri Columbia
Utah Valley State College
California University Sacramento
Iowa State University
Arizona State University
University of Florida
The Ohio State University
Penn State University
University of California-Berkeley
Southern Illinois University
Missouri State University
Manatee Community College
Southeast Missouri State Univ.
Duke University
University of California-Davis
University of Texas-EI Paso
Rensselaer Polytechnical Institute
Univ. of Colorado - Springs
University of New Hampshire
University of Texas
Northern Arizona University
SUNY Binghamton
University of Memphis
Rutgers University
Southern Methodist University
University of Wisconsin -Madison
Utah State University

Womens Team Standings
Oregon State University
University of Alabama
Penn State University
Brigham Young University
University of New Mexico
Colorado State University-Pueblo
University of Colorado Boulder
Missouri State University
University of Texas
North Carolina Central University
Utah Valley State College
Arizona State University
University of Missouri Columbia
Texas A&M University
Iowa State University
California University Sacramento
Ohio University

Points

1490
1190
621
596
510
278
266
255
242
210
205
145
124
124
17
3
0

Combined Team Standings
Oregon State University
Univers ity of Alabama
Colorado State University-Pueblo
Brigham Young University
University of New Mexico
Pen n State University
University of Colorado Boulder
Utah Valley Sta!~ College
University of Missouri Columbia
Texas A&M University
California University Sacramento
Arizona State University
Iowa State University
Missouri State University
University of Texas

2Dil6 US Inter-collegiate National [hampionships
Team Standings - Division II
Mens Team Standings
Clarkson University
Western New England College
Bryant College
Baldwin Wallace College
Rensselaer Polytechnical Institute
Craven Community College
Goldenwest College
SUNY Oswego
Nichols College
Scottsdale Community College

Points

348
237
163
139
132
96
70
44
36
0

Womens Team Standings
Baldwin Wallace College
Bryant College
Western New England College
Clarkson University
Rensselaer Polytech nical Institute
Nichols College

Points

410
258
206
143
12
6

Combined Team Standings
Baldwin Wallace College
Clarkson University
Western New England College
Bryant College
Rensselaer Polytechnical Institute
Nichols College

Points

548
490
443
420.5
144
42

When you purchase these products,
Wilson makes a donation to
The Breast Cancer Research Foundation
HOPE PRO

HOPE GLOVE

WILSON.COM

41>2006 WlkSON SPORTING GOODS CO.

MADE-FO~-TV PO~TABLE

STADIUM

~ACQUETBALL COU~T

One of the most exciting aspects of the Choice Hotels U.S .
OPEN Racquetball Championships is that the world's only
"made-for-TV" portable racquetball court will be used for all
feature matches! The unique construction of the court allows
stadium seating for more than 1,000, in addition to
courtside luxury boxes for sponsors and YIPs . Dramatic
player introductions complete with laser light shows and
booming music will treat racquetball fans to a total
entertainment experience. The crystal clear LUCITE
acrylic walls will make you feel like you are in the
court with the players.
PA~TIES, PA~TIES

AND

MO~E PA~TIES

That's right! For those of us who like to enjoy our
evenings, the Choice Hotels U .S. OPEN promises a
solid week of non-stop fun, kick ing off with a
Wednesday night International/YIP Reception and
Thursday late-night "get together" at the Fox & Hound
Sports Bar (next door to The Racquet Club). And that's
only the beginning! On Friday evening, the action moves
to the "Pub" nightspot at The Racquet Club of Memphis,

---,

Saturday evening will top off the party calendar with the
gala racquetball bash of the year - the eleventh Annual Choice
Hotels U.S. OPEN Grand Gala"PARTY WITH THE PROS".
More than 900 racquetball fans ore expected to turn out at
The Racquet Club Party Center for an evening of live
entertainment featuring one of Tennessee's hottest dance bands .
Elegant ice carvings, extravagant hors d' ouerves, desserts,
huge dance floor, cash bar, multi-media slide show, and all the
top racquetball pros in the world will make the evening one
to remember. The cost for guests and tournament spectators is
$35 per person . Players participating in the Choice Hotels
U.S . OPEN will be admitted free!

II

JOO'I ..

PLAYE~

CHOICE HOTELS

VILLAGE

The nerve center of the event will be the Choice Hotels
U.S. OPEN Player Village . Many activities are
scheduled to take place in the Village, including an
extensive Industry Trade Show, pro autograph signing
sessions, live stage with entertainment, concessions, cash
bar, informational seminars, and plenty of seating to kick
back and relax. Admission is free for all spectators
and players.
/

-...... â&#x20AC;˘::::
--

1/ll;ltl

which will feature a DJ spinning the hottest tunes for your
dancing pleasure. Mingle with the pros and racquetball
fans from throughout the world .

Tickets will not be mailed in advance.
They can be picked up at the Choice
Hotels U.S. OPEN Will Call Desk, located
at The Racquet Club (1.0. is required).
Seating is limited . Must purchase tickets in
advance to be guaranteed a seat.

A very limited number of four-person
courtside luxury box seats (with table service) may be available starting at $2,500.
Call (614) 890-6073 for availability.

Pleose indicate below your eligibility for compentiton in the skill level you have selected. This information
will be verified and re·dassification may take place if deemed appropriate by the Tournament Director.
_ I hove been AMPRO certified at this level by:
AMPRO Certi~ed Instructor (name required) - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Open & Age Divisions
OPEN
0
24 & under 0
25+
D
30+
D
35+
D

D

65+
70+
75+
80+

D
D
D
D

D
0
0
0

_ I hove recenrly competed in this skill category in my state, and have been approved for participation in
this category at a level Five event by the state director or designated representative shown below:
(name required)
_ I competed at this level (but did not win the division tirlel at the:
_ 2005 U.S. OPEN, or the_ 2006 USARNational Singles

0

Men's (IRT)**

a.

**The Men's Pro drow will begin in the round of 64 with qualifying rounds scheduled as needed. The Women's Pro draw will begin in the round of 32 with
qualifying rounds scheduled as needed. Players wishing to enter the amateur OPEN division must enter it di recriy as a second event.

~

0

D
D

*REQUIRED Skill Verification Form

c

25+
35+ A
35+ B

~

c(

c

Partner's Name
Partner's Name

Q

~

D
D
D

Women's (WPRO)**

0

WAIVER: I hereby, for myself, my heirs, executors, and administrators, waive and release and all rights and claims that I may hove against the USA Rocquerlboll, IRT, WPRO, Ganim Enterprises,
Choice Hotels Corporation, The Racquet Club of Memphis, Wellworx Spartsplex, Ridgeway Baptist Church, The University of Memphis, and all other U.S. OPEN sponsors, or their respective agents
for any and all injuries I may suffer as a result of participation in this event. By registering to participate, I release all rights to the use of event photographs/videos in which my image appears.
Participan t Signature _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ ___JJIPc.a:.:.:.:re:.:.:n:...:
t i.:...
f u:::.n:.:ode:::.r.. . :1. : J.8)

Dote

Players may enter a maximum of two events i3 events permined if at least 1 is a doubles divis ions(. Consolation will not be offered due to court time restrictions. Players in multiple
divisions may ploy back·toback matches. Returned checks will be assessed a $23 service charge ($ 10 for declined credit cords). Phone entries will be accepted through the entry deadline
with a $10 service charge and a moior credit cord by calling the Choice Hotels U.S. OPEN headquarters at (800) 234-5396 ext. 0. Maximumamateur draw is 700 players. Once
filled, all additional entries received will be returned with refund.
ENTRY DEADLINE:

All entries must be re<eived by Wednesday, Nov.
1st and/or postmarked by friday, Oct. 27th. No
refunds will be given aher the entry deadline. All entries

First Event ( Amateu r Divisions/ Pro's) ($95/ $105)
Second Event

($48)

Third Event

($48)

USA Racquetball Membership

($35)

late Fee/ Phone Entry

($20/ $10)

Extra Party with the Pro's ticket
-Players adm itted free

($35 each)

received oker the entry deadline will be assessed a $20 late
fee if space is still available in the tournament.
ENTRY FEE INCLUDES:

Ouont.
TOTAL

limited hospitality, free access to Player Village and fan fair
activities at The Racquet Club, souveni r Choice Hotels U.S.
OPEN shirt, Choice Hotels U.S. OPEN Souvenir Program,
ticket to the Saturday evening Di nner Gala "PARTY WITH
THE PROS", plus much, much more!

Make check payable and mail to:
Choice Hotels U.S. OPEN Racquetball Championships
1685 West Uintah • Colorado Springs, CO 80904-2906
or FAX this completed form to (719) 635-0685

Hove you enclosed your Pro Match Ticket Application and
payment for tickets? Seating is limited. Must purchase tickets
to be guaranteed a seat. One check con be wrinen for entry
lees and tickets. Lost year's event sold out four weeks in
advance!
To enter by phone call: (800) 234-5396 ext. 0
outside US: (719) 635-5396 ext. 0
. To enter online: www.choicehotelsusopen .com

Penn revolut1on1zes racquetballs once aga1n w1th
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There is ONLY one thing to do when you are off balance
or out of position, for that matter, regardless if the ball
is low and in your hitting zone and that is to hit a defensive
shot. Remember a defensive shot bids you time and pushes
your opponent back into the deep court where you want
them to be. A ceiling shot or a z shot are the 2 shots that
accomplish that goal. Even though the ball is in your hitting
zone your feet are not stopped and set for you to go
offensive. The BIGGEST mistake players make is they
try and go offensive by shooting the kill, pinch or pass
and they wind up skipping the ball in time after time.
In articles I have written about shot selection and in my
video, "Building your Racquetball Dream House"(Chapter
#5) there is a formula I teach religiously for shot selection
and that is:
A + B + C
+
D = Shot Selection
(You) (Ball) (Opponent) (Score)
If you look at illl_the components that make up shot selection
and not just one component you would make a better choice
and realize popping the ball up to the ceiling or hitting a z
shot would draw your opponent back into the deep court
and give you time to regain center court position.
Most players make the common mistake of ONLY looking
at one component of this formula .. .."oh the ball is low so I
should shoot it". That couldn't be furthest from the truth.
The formula has 4 components .. .you, the ball, your opponent
and the score . .. so you NEED to take illl_the components
into consideration when you are trying to decide what to
do in a particular situation.
It doesn't matter whether it is during a rally (off balance or
out of position) or on the return of serve (low HARD
drive serve WELL hit in the comer) you
WANT TO GO UP. You clearly see these
concepts depicted in my video, "Building
Your Racquetball Dream House" in:

a - Chapter 5 when Jason and Sudsy are playing and I am
voicing over their choices of shots when they are off balance
or out of position they are going up.
b - Chapter 8 when we cover the return of serve and the serve,
is well hit, winds up low and in the comer and is out of the
reach of Jason, so he goes up.
My philosophy is plain and simple .. .. when the ball is low
and in your hitting zone and your feet are stopped and set
and you have a good power base to drive the shoot then GO
OFFENSIVE.
. .. when the ball is
low and in your hitting zone, but your feet are NOT stopped
and set and you don 't have a good power base, therefore you
are off balance or out ofposition, then GO DEFENSIVE.
By applying this philosophy to your game you will be getting
your opponent out of center court and driving them to the
deep court as well as giving yourself time to regain good
center court where you want to be. Remember the player that
controls center court more often usually has a better chance
of winning the match.
Hope to see you at one of my camps for live personal
instruction or the next best thing buy video if you can't
make a camp at this time.
Go to www.FranDavisRacquetball.com for details on both the
video and camps.

ARE YOU TOURNAMENT TOUGH?
The most common mistake made by the tournament player happens many
times before you even step on the court- that's right, I said BEFORE. If you
took a poll and asked players what made them "tournament tough" most would
say the key is fitness or maybe practice, and yes all are important. However,
the key to winning consistently is mental preparation. The problem now is what
is mental preparation, and how is this accomplished? The answer is "GAME
PLAN". This is a skill that is lacking even at the professional level, and most
players' mental preparation is wrapped up in some physical warm-up.
Here is my short, simple and effective checklist to mentally prepare for a
match.
1. Analyze your opponent's strengths: In order to beat a player
better than you, the key is to nullify their top two strengths. You must
have a plan to isolate these strengths. For example: your opponent
has a very good touch game. Answer: good deep passing shots both
cross-court and down the line, it's very difficult to have great touch
shots from 35 to 40 feet from the front wall. Secondly, will the
player's strength affect my serve strategy as well as the return of serve
strategy? Remember, 80% of the game encompasses the serve and
serve return.

2. My Strengths: (pick the two that apply to your opponent) how
can I use my strengths to control momentum while attacking the
opponent's weaknesses? The key is to go into every match with at
least five different serves that will attack this opponent. Also, have a
clear plan on the return of serve that provides the best percentage of
result. When pressure increases your body will re-act more effectively if you have laid out the plan in preparation.

----

3. Mental Flow: This is the killer to most "Open" or amateur players. Preparation requires you to spend some time
anticipating issues that may arise. Examples may include opponent antics, bad calls by the ref, crowd issues etc.
Work out in your mind prior to your match how you plan to deal with issues. You will not be able to anticipate
everything, however having a plan in place
means you will never overload and selfdestruct.
4. Visualize Success: No negative thoughts,
mentally accept the challenge the match
affords you, and most of all never fear
losing. Pressure causes some odd reactions,
haven't we all choked at some time?
The willingness to take the final shot in
a tiebreaker at 10-10 is not for the weak
it's for the mentally prepared.
Keep it simple ... the game plan is nothing
more than a road map to success.

from the Pro Tour
.

Stoke Mechanics= Physics

-~

RACQUETBALL
ACADEMY
www .racquetballacademy .com

'

Lots of players and coaches try to emulate
what the best players in the world are doing.
So if they are doing it, it must be right.
Right? True, there are many things that
world-class players do correctly. But there
are things that they do that are not so
'correct'. They too have weaknesses that a
trained eye can see.
In tennis for example, it was widely
known that women's pro Gabriella Sabatini's
backswing was way too big and long. It
hindered her on the longer baseline rallies.
Boris Becker's serve toss was too high. It
made him inconsistent in less- than- perfect
weather. But in spite of these mechanical
flaws, they were great players.
In old school racquetball, many
players left their feet as they hit the ball, to
generate more power. But today's game is
faster, with more powerful equipment.
Players must remain solid and balanced as
they contact the ball, to be ready for their
opponent's shot because it will be coming
back at them much quicker. The physics of
leaving your feet to get a few more miles per
hour made sense back then, but now it would
be silly.
As you watch the best players in the
world, you '11 see a few common principles in
their stroke mechanics ... a balanced base, flat
swing and lateral rotation. Look for more
details about this topic in the next magazine.

Secret# 24
Shorten Your Stroke in Front Court:
We've all been taught to get square
to the side wall as we hit a shot, but what if
you don't have time? You don't want to
miss an offensive opportunity. When you
are in the frontcourt, and a ball is coming at
you, sometimes you don't have time to
step, get square and follow through like
you can on a set up shot. If you tried, you
would be late coming through with the
racquet, and your intended down-the-line
pass or kill, will invariable hit the side
wall, forcing you to vacate center court,
while your opponent steps in and ends the
rally. What to do? This is the time to use a
short stroke or a 'snap' stroke.
Here's how. You will drop your
hips. (Refer to the last 37 Secrets
Installment). You feet will stay facing the
front wall, slightly staggered. The racquet
tip must not drop AT ALL, and keep the
butt of the racquet pointed down to the
floor. You will use only your torso, hips
and shoulders to 'snap' the racquet to the
ball. It's a very compact stroke. It works
great for a re-kill or angle pass from the
frontcourt. You won't have much of a
follow through, so you will be ready for the
next shot, if your opponent is so lucky.

this: her program for kids is run on Sundays. Yes, that's
how I reacted, too: "Sundays?!" In order not to compete
with, other sports (in which 75% of her players participate),
Sunday is the best day to run their program. So for the past
7 years, Annette and her volunteers have met most Sundays
of the year to develop an excellent juniors program. There
are three groups: Multi-Bounce from 1-2 pm, Intermediate
(8-17 year olds) from 2-4 pm, and Advanced/National Team
training from 3-5 pm. In all, about 50 kids participate
during each 8-week session. The kids pay $45 per session
for the Multi-Bounce and $75 for the Intermediate and
Advanced Classes. Non-members of the club pay a slightly
higher fee (but the goal, of cours e, is to get these kids and
families to become members).

Just Can't Get Enough
of Those Kids!
Last issue's article focused on High s路chool Racquetball and
the importance of starting a High School League in your
city or state. I mentioned Kaylee Pfennig who was a player
in the Oregon High School League and then went onto play
for Oregon State. The reason I bring this up is, since the
last issue, Kaylee and her teammates from Oregon State
University shocked the College Racquetball Scene by
winning the 2006 USA Racquetball National Intercollegiate
Championships in Phoenix. Even more impressive, eleven
of the twelve-member squad were past participants in the
Oregon High School League Program and many of these
kids came up through the ranks of the Oregon Junior
Racquetball Association (OJRA) by playing in the junior
and adult tournaments offered year-round in the state. So
first of all , congratulations to Kay lee and her team
members - way to go, Oregon!
At Cascade Athletic Clubs in Gresham (where I work),
we've been involved in the high school league for about 6
years, but have never really developed the Junior side of our
Program. An adult multi-fitness club with supervised kids '
programs, we just didn 't focus on that side of things and I
imagine there are a lot of clubs just like us. But over the
years, we've developed an excellent kids' swim program as
well as sports camp and tennis programs. Finally we
decided it was time to develop a junior program from the
ground up instead of starting with the high school age kids.
Getting kids going as young as possible will not only help
build up the base for the high school league but also help
guarantee our adult members will stay longer. Plus, these
kids will eventually grow up and not only become members
but start working at the clubs! We need to keep developing
future racquetball players but we also certainly need to
develop more instructors and racquetball program directors!
I asked Annette Knoth, a friend of mine who is an expert in
the building of junior racquetball programs, what makes
their program so successful. Annette, who is manager of
East Side Athletic Club in Milwaukie, Oregon, answered,
"It's all about volunteers and a passion for the sport!" She
went on to say that if it weren't for the volunteers (parents
and players), they wouldn't be where they are today. Get

Annette didn't start out with a program this large - her
first year had just six kids signed up for a one-hour
program. So you don't have to start out big: six kids the
first time will lead to ten the next, and then 20 and then
???. Remember, this is in addition to the kids who practice
at their club during the high school season (OctoberFebruary); 50 kids from six high schools participate. Some
of the kids show up just to have fun, some play in their
club's events, some compete in OJRA events, while still
others have gone on to play at national events, earning state
and national titles. Annette is extremely proud of her whole
group of juniors, but has a favorite in her son Taylor who
started playing when he was 8 years old. He recently won
the Oregon High School State Championships in both
singles and doubles- as a .freshman! This is the first time
this has ever happened in the history of the Oregon High
School League. Taylor has also earned twelve national titles
in the past 7 years and has even graced the cover of USA
Racquetball. In addition to the volunteers, Annette
attributes the continued success of her program to getting
these kids involved in tournament play as well as having the
older kids help with the beginners to make the program.fim!
Connie Martin has been play ing, programming and
teaching at racquetba/1 clubsfor nearly 30 y ears. She
developed the Racquetba/1 Teaching Association which is
now known as AmPRO, has wnlten two Racquetba/1
Program Manuals, and has received the Joe Halverson
Award and the first /HRSA .International Racquetba/1
Programming Award Connie wt!l be the 38th inductee into
the National Racquetba/1 Hal! ojFame at National Singles
in Houston. She is currently working on a project wtlh the
Racquetba/1 Manlffocturers Counct/, stt!l dti-ects
programming at Cascade Athletic Clubs (21st y eat) and
coaches her son s high school racquetba/1 team. Connie
can be reached at Connie@CascadeAthleticCiubs.com.

In the previous lessons I have given you some strategies and drills for the server.
In this lesson I want to show you some important information that deals with the
receiver. I think one of the easiest ways to make this analogy is to compare the
receiver to a baseball hitter. To be a good hitter you want to enter the batters
box with an aggressive attitude and be looking for the pitcher to make a mistake.
The good racquetball receiver wants to be looking for serving errors and then be
offensive with the return.
The two photos below will show you how closely the underarm baseball throw {t
and the switch-hitting batter resemble the server and receiver in racquetball.
,_
The step-by-step pictures on the right will demonstrate the actual serve return
movement to return a low drive serve. Good luck in all your matches!

Strandvmo on ~acqovtball

-------

I want to make some important comparisons regarding these 2 photos. In the left photo; the racquetball
serving motion and the underarm baseball throw or pitch are exactly the same physical motion (elbow
bending and extending with a forceful wrist snap at ball contact or pitch release). In the right photo, the
return of serve hitting motion and the baseball swing are also the same exact motion. Notice how the
baseball hitter has his wrist cocked as he's preparing to swing. The middle row of racquetball photos shows
that same wrist cock position as the racquetball receiver is preparing his body for his swing.
Copyright: All rights reserved Strandemo Sports â&#x201E;˘ 2006

These 2 sets of sequential pictures show how the receiver will move to return a good low drive serve that is not
corning off the back wall. The top set of photos shows a backhand return and the bottom set shows a forehand return.
The starting position is a relatively low athletic 'ready to move' position (be in a backhand grip position to start). The
2nd picture is a crucial (little shuffle) widening of your feet and is a preparatory move that readies yourself for the
cross-over step. The 3rd and 4th pictures are the long cross-over step with the racquet back up (wrist cocked) and the
hitting arm extension with the wrist snap at ball contact.
This photo shows how difficult it is to hit a good offensive
serve return (down-the-line or cross-court pass) that doesn't
angle back into the Zone 2-3 area. To understand the full
meaning of this photo, visualize the server has hit a well
angled low drive to the back left corner and has relocated to
the back part of Zone 2. Now, for example, visualize the
receiver in the back left comer hitting a 'down the left wall
pass' or a 'cross-court pass'. If you follow the green lines
you'll see if the receiver keeps his return within 3 feet of either
sidewall he will keep it out of the server's reach. But, if his
hard return angles back into the middle 14 feet of Zone 23, the server is ready to cut-it-off with an open stance and
then attempt to angle his next shot away from his opponent.
By the way, if you hit a pinch on the return, it needs to bounce
twice before the opposite side wall or twice before the front
red line for it to be a winner.
To order this instructional video select a DVD or VHS
Price is $24.95 (US Dollars). Postage paid in U.S., Canada
and Mexico. Off shore price is $27.95 (US Dollars).
Website: www.Strandemosports.com
Phone: (858) 759-6091
Postal: Strandemo Sports TM
P.O. Box 720608
San Diego, CA 92172

D STR

compared to

E

,.HROWING A FRISBEE

Presented By:

BY SUDSY IDNCHIK
ln previous articles I used analogies for my Magical Forehand such as swinging a baseball bat or throwing a ball sidearm as well as for my
Magical Backhand such as a switch hitter in baseball and I have gotten VERY positive feedback from my readers. Therefore, today I want to
use another analogy for my Magical Backhand which has been labeled as THE BEST backhand in the game of racquetball.
Too often I see players shy away from their backhand and actually run around their backhand to hit a forehand. This is not a smart tactic if you
want to get your game to the next level. You truly need to spend time on gaining consistency and confidence with your backhand that you
experience with your forehand . You WANT to be strong and a threat from both sides.
With that in mind let's take a look at my "Magical Backhand compared to Throwing a Frisbee" . . .something everyone can relate to:

Step - 45 degree angle - weight
shifts slightly, but remains
relatively even so you can drive
off back leg (goes 60/40 then
back to 50/50)
Hip Rotation - Backfoot pivots
- hips open
Upper Body - Shoulders leads
then followed by elbow, wrist,
frisbee
- wrist relaxed snaps through

TRICK

3

Contact Point or Release
Backhand
Contact Point - Power zone off lead foot (visualize 4
racquets on the floor like
video)
- racquet flat and level
- arm at full extension
- knee high or lower
depending on shot

TRICK 4
Follow Through
Sidearm

Contact Point - Power zone off lead foot (visualize 4
frisbees on the floor )
- frisbee flat and level
- arm at full extension
- waist to chest high

Follow Through- frisbee arm
pointing toward the back
wall after frisbee was
released
chest and belly button
facing the front wall
non-hitting arm comes
through and around

Well, there you have it .. .my magical "Backhand Stroke Compared to Throwing a Frisbee". By visualizing this motion it will get you
ready to develop your game from the backhand side as well as the forehand side. Don't be one of those players we label a "lop-sided"
player (an "A" forehand, but a "C" backhand) as that will only work at the lower levels. As you would start to move up in level the better
players would figure out that your backhand was considerably weaker and pick on it.
I REALLY REALLY recommend that you take the time to develop your forehand and backhand equally .. . it is well worth it. Look at
ANY of the top pros on tour they are a threat from both sides ofthe court .... that is what YOU want. I didn 't become the 5X # 1 World
Champion and 4X US Open Champion without a solid backhand as well as a solid forehand. If you heed this advice from me you will be
well on your way to building that solid foundation and have the forehand and backhand you 've been looking for and dreamed of.
Hope to see you at one of our camps for live personal instruction or the next best thing buy our video (see Chapter 2 for Backhand) if
you can't make a camp at this time. Go to www.FranDavisRacquetball.com for details on both.

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a Lifetime Member and never worry about renewing your USA Racquetball membership
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Another option: For a limited time, you may sign up for a Lifetime Membership and make
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2006 39TH USA NATIONAL DOUBLES
RACQUETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
BROUGHT TO YOU BY USA RACQUETBALL

PRESENTED BY HEAD/PENN SPORTS

Z ., . e l 5I SEPT. 27TH- OCT. 1ST

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CHECK LIST FOR NATIONAL DOUBLES
Host Hotel- The host hotel is only two blocks from playing venue. Great swimming pool, sports bar
and restaurant. Also Friday night party at the pool. Since parking is very very limited at the University
we recommend you stay here and walk the short distance to the venue - Hotel Reservations 480-9683451 or 880/553-1826 Holiday Inn at $79 per night.
Rental Car- If you want to explore Tempe, we recommend renting from Hertz Official car, the event
reservation number is 800-654-2240 reference #PC 962102.
Playing Venue - Fourteen all glass back courts with one exhibition court. Great viewing and plenty of
space. All panel courts. Lockers and towels limited. 10 required for towels.
Starting Times- The best place to get starting times is on-line at www.usaracquetball.com after 5 pm
on Monday Sept. 25th. All special requests must be indicated on entry forms but requests cannot be
guaranteed.
Tempe- Downtown Tempe is a 5 minute drive from hotel and venue. Plenty of shops and restaurants.
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Help support USA Racquetball-a portion of every membership fee is paid directly to USA Racquetball!

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We could always count on Kevin to rack up team points
and we really missed him. His father, Steven Bell
decided to still come with us to help me manage the
team and get the boys to their matches on time.

I thought you may enjoy some racquetball news!
I am writing to let you know that my son Charlie and our
racquetball team from DeSmet High School had a great
season. The High Performance Camp and your training
materials were a big help to us!

Despite missing one of our top guns, Steve's son Kevin,
and after two tough days of non stop racquetball, we
found ourselves in 3rd place on Saturday morning.
Throughout the day we fought hard to earn every team
point possible. However, when the tournament ended on
Sunday, the team from Watertown, SD. inched us out of
3rd place by only 77 points. About the value of one
match in the Gold Division which Kevin would have
been in. Wow! So close.

For the first time in our school's history, we won our
State Tournament and were truly untouchable. We
earned twice the number of points as the defending
champs, our big rivals from St. Louis University High
School and we dominated at State.Plus, Team DeSmet
went 10-0 in after school league matches this year. Plus,
we had 10 of our 45 players go 10-0. Also, 38 of our 45
players earned Scholar Athlete Awards by keeping a 3.0
minimum GPA. AWESOME!!!

Still, the trip was unforgettable and all of us had a
fantastic time. I am grateful to have had this
opportunity.
Sorry to go so long on this email.

Being all fired up after State, we took 13 of our top
players to the 2006 High School Nationals in Salem, OR.
to compete on March 2-5. It was an awesome
experience for all of us. However, our #2 seeded Varsity
player, Kevin Bell took ill the day of our trip and he
could not travel with us. Kevin is an outstanding athlete
and aggressive racquetball player. He was a great asset
to our team all year long.

We hope to be able to come to Colorado again soon.
Sincerely,
Patrick Hostrnan

â&#x20AC;˘ 5 Time IRF World Champion
â&#x20AC;˘ 11 Time Canadian National Champion

The .. Greatest
Debate?

feet and fun to watch. Sudsy's forehand could be picked on,
but not by many. His brand of physical play was not easy on
the body and injuries took their toll. He quit the game before
the age of 30, denying us the thrill of seeing him compete
against Waselenchuk and Huczek in their primes.

One of the hottest topics in sports is the subject of "the
greatest to ever play the game." Woods versus Nicklaus;
Gretzky versus Orr; Sampras versus Borg; Ali versus Louis
are all interesting watering hole conversations. Let's start by
acknowledging that comparing eras is virtually impossible;
racquetball is no different. Racquet specs have evolved, the
ball has changed a number of times, financial challenges
have affected depth ... and the list goes on. But our sport,
even in its relative infancy, has produced some truly great
players!

playing the game the way the top players of the early days
played it. They jockeyed for court position and only went for
a winner when it was on a silver platter. He invented his own
game. Nobody used a backhand as a weapon until Hogan
came along. His rise to the top was mercurial and the game
was at its peak when he was # I. Even today, his name goes
hand-in-hand with professional racquetball to the general
public. He was an outstanding multi-sport athlete. Mike
Yellen sideswiped Hogan's claim as the greatest.
Unfortunately for Marty, he never possessed the total
package, at least using today 's definition of the word.

There are six players who have accumulated incredible stats
and deserve the opportunity to lay claim as the greatest to
play the game. Cliff Swain, Sudsy Monchik, Mike Yellen,
Marty Hogan, Charlie Brumfeld and, in a special category,
Ruben Gonzalez: one could make a strong case for the Title
for each of these fine players.

Cliff Swain was an incredible player to watch in his prime
and could arguably be considered the best of all time. He
had it all: the best serve in the game, a never-miss forehand
and a game plan that has remained virtually unchanged in
20+ years on the tour. However, his most impressive
attribute was his competitiveness. It still is. He did not
handle losing well. In fact he hated it so very much that he
decided to avoid it entirely. The one blemish on his career is
that Sudsy Monchik beat him regularly for 5 straight years.
These two are about 10 years apart in age; seeing them at the
same age would have been something very special.

Mike Yellen was the player who truly developed today's
brand of racquetball. He combined control with power and a
disarming mental calm to dominate the sports elite in his
prime. It took five long years on tour for Yellen to reach his
peak. He was unstoppable after that. Yellen learned the game
from court genius Leonard Karpelas. Fundamental
racquetball and a mental dedication to be the best led him to
five straight number #l titles while Marty Hogan was in his
prime. He never won easily but won the big matches when
# l was on the line - exactly like a true champion should!
His later years were sometimes tough to watch because
winning was all or nothing for Yellen.

Sudsy Monchik, aka The Kid, was a truly phenomenal
talent. Many people refer to his incredible backhand or his
rocket launcher serve, but his best attribute was his jawdropping speed. He covered the court better than anyone and
hit simple winners with easy touch to contrast the pace. His
racquet skills were excellent and solid. He was strong on his

Marty Hogan created the power game. He took a pass on

Charlie Brumfeld was likely the most intense champion to
step foot on the courts. There was no tactic too diabolical,
nothing he would not do to win. His game was the thinking
man 's game and he believed he could coerce a player into
playing their worst with a combination of mental and
physical tactics. He spent many hours analyzing his
opponents and their mental state with the sole purpose of
exploiting their weaknesses at key junctures in their matches.
Also, he possessed an outstanding forehand, excellent reach,
fantastic touch and tremendous discipline. His run at the top
was ended by Hogan and the onslaught of the fast ball.
In a special category is the "old dog," Ruben Gonzalez.
This guy is otherworldly. He picked up the game in his late
20's after dominating the one-wall handball world. He had a
tremendous run to his lone Pro World Championship at the
tender age of 36 and won his last tour stop at 42. He played
outstanding racquetball for 25 years and was good enough to
qualify to represent the USA in International Competition
after his 5oth birthday. Furthermore, this incredible
individual never even considered throwing in the towel after
he tore his Achilles tendon in his mid 40's. His game was
built around an outstanding forehand, a solid backhand, and
court coverage in a category all its own.
In addition to the above champions, there have been a
number of tremendous players who have shone their brightest
in International Racquetball competition. Also, there are a
handful of impressive players from Canada and Mexico who
never competed full time on the Men's Pro Tours but would
have been serious forces if they had given the tour a serious
run. One last word: naturally, Kane Waselenchuk and Jack
Huczek exhibit a huge potential to show up on this list in the
coming years!

ASHAWAY
CHAMPIONSHIP
STRINGS

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